Mayor Gregor Robertson lends support to UBC Farm, flags peak oil

Mayor Gregor Robertson again touched on peak oil as an issue when he recorded a video address in support of the UBC Farm.

“In a world with peak oil and accelerating climate change, the importance of local food security has never been greater,” Robertson said in the video shown to farm supporters April 7. “We’ve seen entire civilizations wiped out because of a lack of food security, and it’s going to be really critical in this next phase of human existence that we value the land, the soil, and the people that look after and grow our food. And we’ve got to ensure, particularly in an urban setting, that we’re focused on a good solid locally-based food system. UBC Farm is a critical piece of that.”

Friends of the UBC Farm had just led a successful Great Farm Trek from the Student Union Building to the 24-hectare farm that afternoon. Supporters had just spent months encouraging university governors to remove the site from the community planning process. This has increased the likelihood that the farm will be saved.

“A special shout-out to the UBC board of governors for taking the steps to protect the farm,” Robertson said. “We need to keep making progress on that and make sure that this farm is protected for good.”

This echoed Friends of the UBC Farm spokesperson Andrew Rushmere’s comments to the Straight last week. Rushmere said there are five criteria that will help save the farm unequivocally: land security; recognition that the farm fits within the framework of a “sustainable university”; guaranteed long-term funding for the farm; ecological integrity in decision-making around the farm; and community-driven decisions on the life of the farm.

Comments

READ LIKE A LOCAL

STRAIGHT NEWSLETTER

Get the latests events and news updates

Straight Talk:Weekly top stories

the List:Contests,events and prebuys

Consent for CASL (Canadian Anti-Spam Law)

I agree to be contacted by the Georgia Straight. I may unsubscribe at any time.

Hold the Moment

The Georgia Straight: A 50th Anniversary Celebration Book

This beautifully produced coffee-table book brings together over 100 of Georgia Straight's iconic covers, along with short essays, insider details and contributor reflections, putting each of these issues of the publication into its historical context.